The present disclosure relates to development of a eukaryotic cell expression vector satisfying optimized conditions for gene therapies and DNA vaccines. As a result of replacing the full HCMV regulatory and transcribed region including the immediate early (IE) gene intron A of the HCMV Towne strain and the same region of various HCMV strains at the pVAX1 promoter region and comparing the difference in gene expression efficiency for the different HCMV strains, the eukaryotic cell expression vector of the present disclosure could increase the expression of various genes by about 50-150% as compared to the HCMV Towne strain. Through this, pHP3 was developed as a vector exhibiting high expression in eukaryotic cells, and it can be usefully used for gene therapies or DNA vaccines.

Provided herein, in some aspects, are compositions of nucleic acids comprising an initial transcribed sequence and unique nucleic acid designs for high-yield and cost-effective production of ribonucleic acids.

The present invention describes a recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys (rHVT) that can be used as a vector vaccine for poultry against infection and disease from multiple poultry pathogens. Specifically the rHVT expresses an infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) viral protein 2 (VP2) gene and a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) fusion (F) protein gene from a first and a second expression cassette inserted in the unique small (Us) region, and expresses an avian influenza vims (AIV) haemagglutinin (HA) gene from a third expression cassette inserted in the unique long (UL) region of the genome of said rHVT either between the UL40 and UL41 genes, or between the UL44 and UL45 genes. This rHVT can be used to vaccinate poultry against MDV, IBDV, NDV and AIV.

Described are DNA molecules which can be transcribed into an mRNA harbouring novel UTR sequences combining the advantages of being extremely short and at the same time allowing for high translation efficiencies of RNA molecules containing them. Further, described are vectors comprising such a DNA molecule and to host cells comprising such a vector. Moreover, described are corresponding RNA molecules containing such UTRs. Further, described is a pharmaceutical composition comprising the described RNA molecule and optionally a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier as well as to the use of the described UTRs for translating a coding region of an RNA molecule into a polypeptide or a protein encoded by said coding region.

The present invention relates to DNA constructs comprising a novel TIS sequence. The TIS sequence transcribes into an RNA motif that functions as the protein translation initiation site in an mRNA transcript. The DNA construct may further comprise a nucleic acid sequence encoding signal peptide. Additionally, the DNA constructs may also comprise a nucleic acid sequence encoding a recombinant protein or one or more polypeptide chains thereof. The invention further relates to an expression vector, expression cassette and host cell which comprise said DNA constructs. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a recombinant protein expressed by the host cell as well as a method for expressing the recombinant protein.

The present invention regards a new and Improved HVT-vectored ND-IBD vaccine, comprising a recombinant HVT comprising the VP2 gene from IBDV and the F gene from NDV to a target animal. The recombinant HVT can be used in a vaccine for poultry, which displayed good viral vector replication, effective expression of the NDV F—and IBDV VP2 genes, improved immunoprotection against ND and IBD, and improved genetic stability over prior art constructs.

The present invention relates to regulatable adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors as well as to their use in gene therapy. It further relates to corresponding nucleic acid molecules, host cells, non-human transgenic animals, pharmaceutical compositions and kits.

The present invention provides a recombinant turkey herpesvirus modified by the presence of the cDNA encoding the hemagglutinin protein of avian influenza virus under a promoter. A poultry vaccine comprising the recombinant turkey herpesvirus described in the present invention can induce serological responses that may be easily detected by the hemagglutination inhibition assay but not by commercially available diagnostic ELISA kits; thus enabling easy differentiation between vaccination and field infection.

The present invention relates to nucleic acid regulatory elements that are able to enhance muscle-specific expression of genes, in particular expression in cardiac muscle and/or skeletal muscle, methods employing these regulatory elements and uses of these elements. Expression cassettes and vectors containing these nucleic acid regulatory elements are also disclosed. The present invention is particularly useful for applications using gene therapy, more particularly muscle-directed gene therapy, and for vaccination purposes.

The invention provides a process for generating parvovirus VP1/VP2 virus like particles (VLPs). The invention further provides methods for purification of the parvovirus VLPs and immunogenic compositions that contain the VLPs. The invention also includes recombinant nucleic acid molecules that encode parvovirus VP1 and VP2, and host cells that contain the recombinant nucleic acids.